Friday, September 3, 2021

Back to Basics

So the other day I was busy with something or other and my coffee went cold before I got back to it. As is my habit, I set the mug in the microwave and pushed a button. At which time the microwave gave a sad, little 'poof' and died.

I checked the electric outlet to make sure that was working. Yep. It was fine. I was now the proud owner of a very dead appliance. And I still had a cold mug of coffee. That would never do. In my house, coffee is the elixir of life.

I may have inherited my love of coffee from my Mother. Growing up, I can't remember a time when she didn't have a cup of coffee within reach. And I remember that when her coffee went cold, she poured it into a small saucepan and heated it on the stove. Mother lived before microwaves were common.

So that's what I did.

I also had filled a small casserole dish with leftovers from supper the night before, planning to microwave them to eat that evening. Plopped the lid on the dish and into the oven it went for 20 minutes. Supper was served.

Got to thinking about whether I really needed a new microwave. I fed four children for many years without one. I used mine just to reheat some foods and I have a perfectly good kitchen stove for that purpose. And I really do not care for microwave popcorn. Popcorn tastes much better when popped in a cast iron skillet.

Perhaps the time has come to get back to the basics. These days it seems like the future is more uncertain than in recent years. My parents and grandparents managed just fine during hard times because they knew how to do stuff.

My parents were preppers but they just didn't know it. They had a huge garden every summer and in the fall the canners were going nearly every day, preserving everything from corn and beans to pickles and fruit and jam. Dad didn't farm, but he either bought or traded for beef and pork and chickens for the freezer from our farmer neighbors.

The closest grocery store was ten miles away. There was no running to the store for a loaf of bread, especially when the winter blizzards closed the roads for days on end. It was a rare occasion that the bread on the table was not home made.

They not only survived, my parents and grandparents. They thrived. They knew how to do what needed to be done without the modern conveniences.

I really don't want to go so far as to wash clothes in a washtub using a washboard to scrub them clean, but I know how. I have done that.

Perhaps using some of the knowledge of the basics might be a good thing. At the very least, we will know if we can take care of ourselves and our families should hard times come again. And if we find we can't, maybe it is time to learn.

20 comments:

  1. I probably wouldn't replace mine if it went, though I still use it.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I don't think I will replace mine, Gorges. I would rather put my money toward other things.

      Delete
  2. I won't be going to the river to beat clothes on a rock. But, during a tornado outage of five days, I did wash pants in a pot on a table. I filled the pot with water and a cup of vinegar. I put the pants in and gave them a push or two and let them soak. then, I squeezed them a bit and threw them over the clothesline and put clothes pins on the pants much below the waist. They dripped dry and the sun finished them off. At least my pants were fresh. After all, I don't dig ditches and get things filthy. So, I can manage.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Linda...I have no desire to give up my little apartment sized washer and dryer, but if the time came where I could not use them, at least I would know how to wash my clothes. There are many who would be just lost without all the appliances we take for granted. At least we know that we could manage.

      Delete
  3. A spectacular post Vicki.

    I would have just bought another microwave without a second thought… and maybe we DO need to sit back and take stock of these and other conveniences that probably carry off a bit of our souls when we use them. Some things are better and more satisfying by doing them in old ways

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you, Glen...My crystal ball is broken so I don't know what the future holds. But if we ever get to the place where a microwave is nothing more than a large doorstop, we need to know how to do without it. Knowing how to do any number of things using the old ways could very well mean the difference between surviving and perishing. Knowledge is power.

      Delete
  4. Our microwave now goes through spells of needing the door slammed just right or it won't start. I hate the thought of going to look for another, as the current one is coming up on 33 years old. I don't look forward to figuring out the fancy stuff they've added, not to mention a new one will not last anywhere near that long. Yes, it will be replaced - we use it a lot as it saves using the oven frequently.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. JustGail...Mine was doing that door slam thing, too. Just once in a while. I won't be replacing mine. I am finding I really don't miss it all that much.

      Delete
  5. The dead nuke; neither the gubmeyent nor the bad guys would think of looking for the pistol and ammo in there. After all, you NEVER put metal in the microwave!

    We did the same thing with the cold coffee. We'd put the whole cup in the saucepan of water and double-boil the coffee to keep it from burning. We still use a percolator to make our coffee. Our newest pot is a Corningware from the 70's. The old standby is a 1952 clear Pyrex. ...No better coffee in the world! I wish I could find one of those percolator gloves that kept the pot hot after the coffee was finished brewing... I'll admit it; I'm a guy. To me a sewing needle is for pulling thorns out of my fingers! Wrapping the pot with a dish towel will have to do fro the likes of me...

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Pete...I might try your suggestion about storing the pistol and ammo except for the fact that the microwave sits next to my apartment door. So instead, they are stored where they can be easily grabbed if necessary.

      You would laugh if you could see my coffee pot. It is an aluminum drip pot that my parents got when they married 77 years ago. I just heat water, pour it in the top and let it drip through the grounds It makes coffee that tastes better than any made in a Mr. Coffee.

      I admit to never hearing about percolator gloves. I just follow my Dad's example. Pour the first mug of coffee from the pot and dump the rest into a thermos. Works like a charm. :)

      Delete
    2. Y'know, I remember SOMEONE in the family doing the Thermos thing... 'Forgot all about it! THANKS! I guess two old farts override one brainfart...

      Delete
    3. I'm not so sure about overriding the brainfart thing, Pete. After all, you are talking to someone who can cross from the living room directly into the kitchen and then stand there wondering why. Sigh. :)

      Delete
    4. You're wondering where you put it, Vicki... It's in the microwave...

      Delete
    5. Good one, Pete! (Insert big grin here.)

      Delete
  6. Great post! It is so important to know how to 'make do'with what you have. Love your reasoning concern-ing better ways to spend your money too. We cannot afford to spend money on extras if we should be putting away the necessities for hard times. It is a choice to consider carefully.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks, CW...I grew up in a 'make-do' world where there was little money for extras. Dad was a genius at fixing stuff. And he always found a way to work around whatever problem presented itself. I learned from the best.

      With inflation rearing its ugly head, I find I question if an item is a 'want' or a 'need.' Most things are 'wants' and I would rather make sure I have rent money than buy something I can easily live without.

      Delete
  7. Take the housing off and check for the fuse. A few dollars to replace it. I used to get mine at Ace Hardware. That might just be the problem from what you described. Oh, and I got rid of my microwave a few years ago. I don't think they are really good for your health anyway, and I just keep my coffee in a thermos-type carafe during the day. Like you, I couldn't live without it! All the best....Mama J

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks for the suggestion, MamaJ...If one of my kids wants to try to fix it, they are welcome to it. I find I can live nicely without it.

      At one time I had one of those thermos carafes. I may buy another because I liked using it. But until then, I have a good thermos that works well. And yes - I am willing to do without many things, but coffee is not one of them. :)

      Delete
  8. never had a microwave...I have a stove and 2 slow cookers large and small...plus a campstove and small weber kettle ( outside ) , Patrick

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Patrick...I have the same except for the weber kettle. As an apartment dweller, I have no place to use one. But I do have one of those big electric roasters that comes in handy for cooking large batches of soup or chili for canning. I am finding that I don't miss the microwave. We can do just fine with what we have.

      Delete